Something To Come Back To
by Lionchilde
Summary: Another missing scene for One Path, this one set during chapter 29.  With their son napping, Padme suggested that they find somewhere to hide.  Obidala.


I wrote this a while ago, by request of Kenobifan here on ff.n, who goes by lealynnkenobi on Livejournal where we met. Realized I never actually posted it here. It's another missing scene for One Path, this one set just before Obi and Anakin go off to find Ventress. 

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**Something to Come Back To**

With Little Ani napping, Padme suggested that they find somewhere to hide. Her husband's eyebrows rose in surprise, and he regarded her with a mock-stern expression. He and Anakin had both been given a ten day leave in view of their last lengthy stint of service on the Outer Rim, and the entire family, including his former Padawan were spending that leave time at Varyinko. While the respite was welcome in any form, what both of them truly craved now was time alone, away from the bustle of the family and even the needs of their son.

"Now, Padme. What would your mother say?" he asked with a teasing grin.

She slid her hands sensuously over his shoulders then laced her fingers behind his neck. He leaned forward, expecting a kiss, but she halted just before their lips met and held herself there, allowing him to feel the warmth of her breath brushing his face but nothing else. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, sliding his hands up her back, grateful for the simple pleasure of her closeness.

"I won't tell if you won't," she whispered.

"Well, if you promise," he said, his breath quickening on the end of the sentence as she pressed her mouth to his. For a while, he lost himself in the kiss, aware only of the warm fullness of her lips. Then he drew back gently, reluctantly opening his eyes. "Wait a second. What if Ani wakes up while we're gone?"

"The whole family's here," she laughed. "Ani can't sneeze without four people offering him a tissue."

"All right," he chuckled, then leaned forward again, unable to resist the temptation to steal another kiss.

"So where do you think we should hide?" she asked, tracing his lower lip with the tip of her finger.

"I think I have an idea," he replied, stepping back to take her by the hand.

They snuck, giggling and shushing each other, through the retreat house, managing to avoid both the servants and her mother by ducking back into shadow-filled corners twice before making it to the doors. Once there, they burst out into the sun-filled afternoon, laughing with a giddy relief that they knew was entirely ridiculous. Padme flung her arms around his neck, and he lifted her smoothly off the ground, spinning her in his arms.

"We made it!" she exclaimed.

"Not yet," he shook his head, glancing back over his shoulder with a show of concern. "They could still spot us from the windows."

"What do we do?" she laughed.

"We'll have to run for it!" he told her, grabbing her hand again and pulling her toward the docks.

They didn't slow down until they reached the lakefront, then let themselves come to a gradual halt as they reached Paddy's speeder boat. Gasping for breath, Padme threw her arms around him again, and he hugged her tightly.

"You think we're safe?" she whispered against his shoulder.

"For the moment," he nodded.

They stood there for a while, taking pleasure in simple tactile contact and the warm, fragrant breeze on their skin. Then they separated, linked hands again and stood looking out at the peacefully rippling lake. The sun reflected off the water, creating a perfect pattern of swirling light--perfect, that was, until Padme bent to pick up a stone from the pier and tossed it casually into the water, breaking the molten ripples into dozens of discordant yellow streaks. A few droplets splashed back toward them, splattering in Obi Wan's face, and he flinched involuntarily.

"What are you afraid of?" she laughed affectionately. "It's just water."

"Well, I don't want to get wet," he said.

"Oh…?" she turned to face him with a raised eyebrow and disentangled her fingers from his.

His eyes widened. "No. Padme…"

She grinned evilly and took a menacing step. He backed off, coming dangerously close to the edge of the pier as he did so, but he had a Jedi's perfect balance and hovered easily on the end of the last plank. She sprang forward, wrapping both her arms and legs around him as their bodies collided, and gasped in amazement a few seconds later when she found the two of them hovering above the water.

"Now what are you going to do?" her husband grinned, quite casually clasping his arms around her back to support her.

"You can't keep this up forever," she laughed.

"Can't I?" he challenged.

"No. Especially if I do this!" she declared, pressing her lips to his with an ardent fierceness which caught him entirely off guard. They plummeted downward, breaking the kiss as the icy shock of the water struck. They swam apart as the water enveloped them, and broke the surface again a few seconds later, both laughing and gasping for breath.

Padme lifted her streaming hair from her eyes and grinned. "You're wet!"

"So are you!" Obi Wan laughed.


End file.
